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Condylar fracture management

Background

Condylar fracture is a common facial fracture related to interpersonal violence, automobile accidents, motorcycle accidents, falls, and other trauma. Treatment can be conservative or surgical, with each approach having its adherents and offering advantages and disadvantages. Factors to consider when selecting a management option include the cause of the injury, the patient’s oral health status, time between injury and treatment, specifics of the injury itself, predictable complications, and the

Methods

Data on condylar fractures were gathered retrospectively over a 20-year period (1992−2012) from two institutions in Brazil. Included were the clinical notes and medical records of the patients. A total of 182 men and 80 women had sustained 318 condylar fractures. Surgical management involved a retromandibular approach with internal fixation (IF) of the fractured fragments using titanium miniplates and screws, analgesics, anti-inflammatory medication as needed, and antibiotics for at least 7

Results

Patients ranged in age from 14 to 79 years (average 30.17 years), with most (45%) in the 18- to 30-year-old group. Sixty-six percent were Caucasian and 67% had occupations requiring no college education. Fifty-one percent of the patients reported no regular use of any substance. Forty-seven percent of those who reported substance use used alcohol regularly, 33% smoked cigarettes, 17% used illegal drugs, and 3% used them intravenously.

The causes of the fracture included motorcycle accidents

Discussion

The outcomes for the two treatment approaches were similar. Both achieved high rates of success and low rates of complications.